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India-Pakistan tensions disrupt global aviation with significant delays

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India-Pakistan tensions disrupt global aviation with significant delays
Policy
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Geoffrey Thomas Editor-In-Chief - US Bureau Chief | Airline Ratings

Amid escalating tensions between India and Pakistan, the latter has closed its airspace to all traffic until at least 12 pm on May 11, according to a Notice to Airmen issued by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. This move follows a series of military strikes exchanged between the two countries.

The closure has already led to disruptions in global flight schedules. British Airways flight BA 2160 from Islamabad to London was canceled, leaving passengers and crew stranded in Islamabad. The impact is expected to extend to hundreds of other flights worldwide.

Recent hostilities have resulted in both nations closing their airspace to each other's airlines, forcing international carriers to reroute flights. These changes have increased flight times, required additional fuel stops, and raised operational costs. Given India's and Pakistan's strategic locations along key Europe-Asia corridors, these closures are likely to affect the global aviation network for some time.

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In early May 2025, both countries implemented temporary airspace measures due to security concerns. These included revised flight paths and suspended services as part of standard safety protocols during heightened alert periods. Although such restrictions are not uncommon in geopolitically dynamic regions, their timing and scale have drawn attention due to their broader impact on international air traffic.

Air India has had to adjust operations significantly for long-haul flights to North America and Canada because of Pakistani airspace closure. Flights that once took direct routes over Pakistan now detour southward over the Arabian Sea with fuel stops in Vienna, Austria. For example, the Delhi-Chicago route now takes over 19 hours instead of approximately 14 hours due to these adjustments. Air India estimates these disruptions could lead to an additional $600 million annually in operational costs.

Flight rerouting has also affected airlines' sustainability goals by increasing fuel consumption and carbon emissions. Carriers participating in ICAO's Carbon Offsetting and Reduction Scheme for International Aviation (CORSIA) may find it challenging to meet environmental targets amid these diversions.

Global airlines operating east-west routes face significant impacts from Indian-Pakistani airspace closures. Lufthansa, British Airways, Singapore Airlines, among others, have been forced into longer journeys or alternate routes via Iran or Central Asia—both leading to increased fuel burn and fleet utilization issues.

Passengers are experiencing extended travel times due to technical fuel stops or longer durations caused by diversions—resulting in missed connections at hub airports and reduced schedule reliability despite advisories issued by airlines offering rebooking options.

This situation echoes past events; notably when Pakistani airspace was closed for nearly five months in 2019 following similar tensions—a move that disrupted over 400 commercial flights daily with substantial financial losses reported globally.

As geopolitical tensions continue affecting South Asian airspace accessibility today—operational delays mount alongside financial costs while highlighting how swiftly such developments can challenge even efficient aviation systems worldwide.

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Organizations Included in this History
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